Classification of daily rainfall patterns in a Mediterranean area with extreme intensity levels: the Valencia region

Peñarrocha, D.; Estrela, María José; Millán, M.

doi:10.1002/joc.747

Cited by 94 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Nevertheless, the precipitation frequency, intensity and seasonality are very different compared to the areas in the North, where precipitation is frequent but rarely very intense, with the exception of mountainous areas (García-Ruiz et al, 2000). The most extreme precipitation events are recorded along the Mediterranean seaside (Llasat, 2001;Romero et al, 1998;Peñarrocha et al, 2002). The Ebro Basin has a long record of social, economic and environmental damages caused by extreme rainfall events (García-Ruiz et al, 2000;Lasanta, 2003) due to its complex climatology, as a meteorological border region, and the contrasted relief.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping rainfall erosivity at a regional scale: a comparison of interpolation methods in the Ebro Basin (NE Spain)

Angulo‐Martínez

López‐Vicente

Vicente‐Serrano

et al. 2009

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

107

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Abstract. Rainfall erosivity is a major causal factor of soil erosion, and it is included in many prediction models. Maps of rainfall erosivity indices are required for assessing soil erosion at the regional scale. In this study a comparison is made between several techniques for mapping the rainfall erosivity indices: i) the RUSLE R factor and ii) the average EI 30 index of the erosive events over the Ebro basin (NE Spain). A spatially dense precipitation data base with a high temporal resolution (15 min) was used. Global, local and geostatistical interpolation techniques were employed to produce maps of the rainfall erosivity indices, as well as mixed methods. To determine the reliability of the maps several goodness-of-fit and error statistics were computed, using a cross-validation scheme, as well as the uncertainty of the predictions, modeled by Gaussian geostatistical simulation. All methods were able to capture the general spatial pattern of both erosivity indices. The semivariogram analysis revealed that spatial autocorrelation only affected at distances of ∼15 km around the observatories. Therefore, local interpolation techniques tended to be better overall considering the validation statistics. All models showed high uncertainty, caused by the high variability of rainfall erosivity indices both in time and space, what stresses the importance of having long data series with a dense spatial coverage.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping rainfall erosivity at a regional scale: a comparison of interpolation methods in the Ebro Basin (NE Spain)

Angulo‐Martínez

López‐Vicente

Vicente‐Serrano

et al. 2009

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

107

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“…Inter-annual variability in precipitation is very high, too. The most extreme precipitation events have been recorded along the Mediterranean seaside (Romero et al 1998Peñarrocha et al 2002.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Do atmospheric teleconnection patterns influence rainfall erosivity? A study of NAO, MO and WeMO in NE Spain, 1955–2006

Angulo‐Martínez

Beguería

2012

Journal of Hydrology

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Rainfall erosivity is the ability of precipitation to erode soil. Raindrops impact on the surface-rainsplash-represents an important mechanism of soil particles detachment. If the soil is not perfectly flat rainsplash will also produce the movement of soil particles down the slope due to diffusion. But even in the case of flat soils the detached particles will be available for transport by other erosion agents such as surface runoff. Despite its importance as fundamental erosion process very few studies have addressed the climatology of rainfall erosivity. It is known fact rainfall erosivity in long term (e.g., cumulative annual values) is determined by a few number of heavy events. This study analyses the interannual variability of daily rainfall erosivity in NE Spain during the period 1955-2006, and its connection with atmospheric circulation patterns influencing rainfall in the region, namely the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Mediterranean Oscillation (MO) and the Western Mediterranean 2 Oscillation (WeMO). It is found that the erosive power of rainfall is stronger during negative phases of the three atmospheric circulation indices, and weaker during positive conditions. Daily rainfall erosivity series were adjusted to a Generalized Pareto probability distribution for positive and negative days of the atmospheric circulation indices, for assessing their effects on rainfall erosivity extreme events. Results showed higher values expected for a given return period in most of the area under negative conditions of all indices, especially at the Mediterranean coast. Overall, MO and WeMO showed the strongest influence on daily rainfall erosivity extremes. These findings would be useful in the implementation of soil conservation strategies.

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“…The Mediterranean coastal fringe might constitute the best-known area of the IP from the point of view of precipitation, at both global (Martin-Vide, 1982;Romero et al, 1998Romero et al, , 1999Sumner et al, 2001) and subregional scales (Periago et al, 1991(Periago et al, , 1998Fernández-Mills et al, 1994;De Luis et al, 2000;GonzalezHidalgo et al, 2001;Peñarocha et al, 2002;Azorín-Molina and Lopez-Bustins, 2004). Notwithstanding, the Mediterranean fringe of the IP has not been analysed in its entirety to date due to the fact that the whole Ebro basin was not usually included in the aforementioned papers.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Monthly precipitation trends on the Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula during the second‐half of the twentieth century (1951–2000)

González‐Hidalgo¹,

López-Bustins

Štěpánek

et al. 2008

Intl Journal of Climatology

159

130

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ABSTRACT:We analysed monthly precipitation trends on the eastern Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula (IP) by means of a new monthly precipitation database [Monthly Precipitation Dataset, Mediterranean Spain (MOPREDA MES )]. This database was created following an exhaustive quality control of the archives from the Meteorological Agency of Spain (Instituto Nacional de Meteorología, INM), and comprises 1113 complete and homogeneous monthly precipitation series , covering 180 000 km 2 (one-third of IP area). The new data set currently offers the highest spatial density of stations on the IP and around the Mediterranean Sea (1 station/150-200 km 2 ), and includes available information at 1500 m asl.The analyses of monthly precipitation trends indicate high spatial and temporal variability. No global trend in the study area was found, except for March, when significant negative trends affect the whole study area. Trends for winter months (December-January-February) are dominated by an East-West gradient with a latitudinal temporal shift. Positive trends are mainly located in coastland areas and negatives ones predominate inland. April shows a North-positive South-negative gradient, and the reverse is true for June and September. Negative trends are dominant in October over most of the study area, except for the Pyrenees area. July and August show the most complex spatial distribution pattern, with well-delimited areas of positive trends to the south and northwest. We generally detected no significant trends in May and November.In order to analyse the nature of rainfall variability in the study area, we also studied the synchronous influence of different low-variability modes [the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Mediterranean Oscillation (MO) and the Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO)]. On the Mediterranean fringe of the IP precipitation is mainly related to negative phases of the three low-frequency variability patterns analysed, and the MO and the WeMO emerge as predominant teleconnection patterns. These results suggest that monthly variations in rainfall may result from the simultaneous effects of different atmospheric modes of low variability, especially those linked to the Mediterranean region.Studies making use of high-density precipitation databases, as is the case in this paper, are useful for a better understanding of precipitation behaviour in a complex area like the Mediterranean fringe of the IP. The results also provide valuable information for downscaling and hydrological management.

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Classification of daily rainfall patterns in a Mediterranean area with extreme intensity levels: the Valencia region

Cited by 94 publications

References 16 publications

Mapping rainfall erosivity at a regional scale: a comparison of interpolation methods in the Ebro Basin (NE Spain)

Mapping rainfall erosivity at a regional scale: a comparison of interpolation methods in the Ebro Basin (NE Spain)

Do atmospheric teleconnection patterns influence rainfall erosivity? A study of NAO, MO and WeMO in NE Spain, 1955–2006

Monthly precipitation trends on the Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula during the second‐half of the twentieth century (1951–2000)

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